Synonyms of motif

motif

noun

mō-ˈtēf 

1

as in theme

a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition)

the motif of mute figures standing in lonely isolation is a recurrent one in the artist's works

Synonyms & Similar Words

• theme
• topic
• matter
• question
• subject
• content
• essence
• motive
• idea
• issue
• purpose
• problem
• core
• subject matter
• heart
• substance
• basis
• consideration
• staple
• bulk
• count
• fundamental
• nucleus
• body
• burden
• pivot
• main
• essential
• kernel
• point
• sum
• centerpiece
• mass
• argument
• net
• marrow
• talking point
• generality
• affair
• debate
• crux
• bottom
• gist
• essentiality
• pith
• nub
• keynote
• purport
• grist
• nubbin
• quick

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• aside
• tangent
• excursion
• digression
• parenthesis
• interjection

2

as in pattern

a unit of decoration that is repeated all over something (as a fabric)

the fabric for the upholstery features a scallop shell motif

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pattern
• design
• ornament
• decoration
• motive
• figure
• scheme
• adornment
• device
• trim
• embellishment
• garnish
• frill
• caparison

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of motif

Andy Burnham got the famous Manchester worker bee logo inked on his arm while mayor of the city and this shirt has that very same motif scattered all over it. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Things do shift from time to time, but the thread through all the different motifs would be my kind of stubborn minimalism. — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

The design sheds the current generation’s swoopier and more angular aesthetic for a blocky motif and front and rear LED strips. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 19 Aug. 2026

Weyant has long explored an eerie dollhouse motif in her work. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 18 Aug. 2026